Sewing machine cabinet

ABSTRACT

A sewing machine cabinet for providing single level sewing for a machine having the capability of conversion from a flatbed to a tubular bed mode is disclosed in two embodiments. The first embodiment hinges two leaf extensions to one side of the cabinet and a third leaf extension to the other side of the cabinet. One of the two extensions on the first side is hinged such that it may horizontally extend as a work surface extension in the tubular bed mode or be pivoted 180* to encapsulate all but the top surface of the sewing machine bed in the flatbed mode. The second leaf extension is hinged on the upper portion of the tubular bed work surface extension leaf so as to freely hang downwardly during the tubular bed mode or to provide a horizontal work surface and bed extension during the flatbed mode. The third leaf extension is hingedly mounted to provide a bed extension during both modes. The second embodiment hinges two extensions on each side of the cabinet top. In the flatbed mode a first extension of each side is pivoted away from the top to a horizontally disposed position while the second two extensions, which have complimentary work surface openings, meet at substantially the center of the top to circumscribe the bed of the machine. For the tubular bed mode the second set of bed extensions is pivoted into the horizontal position and the first pair of bed extensions is pivoted into a free hanging vertical position.

United States Patent [1 1 Current [54] SEWING MACHINE CABINET Wayne A.Current, Cranford, NJ.

[73] Assignee: The Singer Company, New York,

[22] Filed: Oct. 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 298,104

[75] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Marshall J.Breen; Chester A. Williams, Jr.;'Alan Ruderman 5 7 ABSTRACT A sewingmachine cabinet for providing single level sewing for a machine havingthe capability of conver- [451' Apr. 23, 1974 sion from a flatbed to atubular bed mode is disclosed in two embodiments. The first embodimenthinges two leaf extensions to one side of the cabinet and a third leafextension to the other side of the cabinet. One of the two extensions onthe first side is hinged such that it may horizontally extend as a worksurface extension in the tubular bed mode or be pivoted 180 toencapsulate all but the top surface of the sewing machine bed in theflatbed mode. The second leaf extension is hinged on the upper portionof the tubular bed work surface extension leaf so as to freely hangdownwardly during the tubular bed mode or totprovide a horizontal worksurface and bed extension during the flatbed mode. The third leafextension is hingedly mounted to provide a bed extension during bothmodes. The second embodiment hinges two extensions on each side of thecabinet top. In the flatbed mode a first extension' of each side ispivoted away from the top to a horizontallydisposed position while thesecond two extensions, which'have complimentary work surface openings,meet at substantially the center of the top to circumscribe the bed ofthe machine. For the tubular 1 bed mode the second set of bed extensionsis pivoted into the horizontal position and the first pair of bedextensions is pivoted into a free hanging vertical position.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 34 62 50 54 44 Mk I -1 l. 2 2e as as 11 i4ill -il I I 12 16 SEWING MACHINE CABINET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to sewing machine cabinets and more particularlyto a cabinet capable of providing one-level sewing in conjunction with asewing machine convertible from a flatbed to a tubular or cylinder bedmode of operation.

Sewing machines convertible between a flatbed mode, adapted to supportflat work panels, and a cylinder bed mode, adapted to accomodate tubularwork pieces, have the obvious advantage of flexibility not found in amachine capable of sewing in only one of these modes. This type ofsewing machine has generally been used by supporting it on a table, butthe work support surface is then limited to the work surface of thesewing machine itself, and since this is of necessity a limited area, itis inconvenient when so used. The problem with prior art cabinets formounting sewing machines convertible between the flatbed and thecylinder bed modes is that in order to convert to cylinder bed mode fromflatbed inode when the-top surface of the cabinet is coextensive withthe sewing machine work surface, it is necessary to raise the sewingmachine to the cylinder bed mode so that a tubular work piece may freelypass about the cylinder bed. The problem with moving the sewing machineis that the sewing level during cylinder bed differs from the sewinglevel during flatbed. Surveys have shown that a sewer is mostcomfortable when the bed of the machine is located at a certain distanceabove the floor or above the level of the chair in which she sits. Inthe prior art designs, a cabinet in which the machine was supported atthis most convenient position during one of the modes comprised theconvenience in the other mode. Thus, the

prior art cabinets do not meet the optimum condition of sewing duringboth modes of operation of the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes thesedeficiencies of the prior art by providing a cabinet in which the top isformed by at least one tubular bed work surface ex tension leaf whichcan pivot about the end of the cabinet through 180. The leaf issubstantially U-shaped with the opening adapted to freely pass about thesewing machine as theextension pivots from a horizontal positioncircumscribing the sewing machine to a horizontal position extendingaway from the sewing machine. A plate is slidable within the openportion of the extension and is hidden when the-extension circumscribesthe machine in the flatbed mode, and may be slidably extended to closethe opening when the extension is pivoted 180 into the cylinder bedmode.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a sewingmachine cabinet having at least a hinged leaf adapted to provide duallevel work surfaces for flat bed and tubular bed sewing modes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cabinet having aplurality of hinged leaves arranged to provide single level sewing whileproviding work surface extensions for flat bed and tubular bed sewingmodes and to enclose the cabinet during the machine storage condition.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the natureand objects of the invention reference should be had to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. l isa front elevational view of a first embodiment of a cabinetconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionand illustrating the cabinet in the machine storage position;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevational view of the cabinet shown in FIG. 1illustrating the position of theextensions during the flatbed mode ofoperation of a sewing machine;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view of the cabinet shown in FIG. 1illustrating the position of the extensions during the cylinder bed modeof operation of, the sewing machine;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cabinet illustrated in FIG. 1 in thecylinder bed mode of FIG. 3, but with the sewing machine removed forclarity;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a cabinet constructed in accordancewith a second embodiment of the invention, showing the three positionsof the leaf extensions, the extensions being illustrated by solid linesduring the machine storage position, and by dotted lines during thecylinder bed and flatbed modes of operation of the sewing machine shownby dotted lines in its operative position; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the cabinet of FIG. 5 in the flatbedposition of operation of the illustrated sewing machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to theaccompanying drawings 7 wherein like reference numerals refer to similarviews, a first embodiment of a cabinet constructed in accordance withthe present invention, and designated generally as 10, is disclosed inFIGS. l-4. The cabinet consists of a frame comprising a pair of endpanels 12 and 14, a rear panel 16 secured to the end panels at the rearthereof, a front rail 18 secured to the end panels at the front thereof,and a top surface 20 secured to the tops of the front rail and therearand side panels. The top 20 has an opening 22 cut therein. A pivotablymounted sewing machine support platform 24 is positioned in the front ofthe opening 22 and can pivot from a vertical stored position as shown inFIG. 1 to a horizontal working position as best seen in FIG. 4. Themeans for pivoting the platform 24 and for locking the same in theoperative position is fully disclosed and described in my copending USapplication Ser. No. 283,027 filed Aug. 23, 1972 now U.S. Pat. No.3,759,595 (Our Docket No. 71-A-349) to which reference is made for afuller understanding thereof. v

As more fully disclosed in the said co-pending application, the uppersurface of the platform 24 includes a plurality of seats 26 adapted toreceive a corresponding number of feet 28 on the bottom of the bed 30 ofthe sewing machine 32, and the machine is secured to the platform 24 bymeans of a latch and wing nut member 34. The sewing machine includes abracket arm 35 which in the stored position rests on a support surface36 secured beneath the opening 22 on the side walls 12 and 14 and therear walls 16. The bracket arm 35 terminates at one end in a head 37spaced above the bed,

and includes a handwheel 38 at its other end. The bed 30 of the sewingmachine 32 may be of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,344,762 whichis readily convertible between a flatbed mode adapted to support planarwork panels and a cylinder bed mode adapted to accommodate tubular workpieces. For a further understanding of this type of work supporting bedreference should be had to the aforesaid US. patent. It is sufficientfor present purposes to understand that the sewing machine work supportsurface 40 is the required work supporting level for sewing during theflat bed mode while during the cylinder bed mode the lower portion ofthe cylinder bed 42 must be spaced above the work surface so that atubular work piece may freely pass thereabout.

In order to accomplish this and to provide single level sewing, i.e. tomaintain the sewing level constant during both the flat bed and cylinderbed modes, there is provided a leaf generally designated as 44 which ispivotably mounted to the head end of the top 20 by means of one or morehinges 46. The leaf 44 comprises a top surface 48 and a bottom surface50, the top and bottom surfaces referring to the positions theytakeduring the storage position of the cabinet, as illustrated in FIG. 1.The hinges 46 are of the type which allow 180 movement of the leaf 44 sothat the surfaces 48 and 50 in the cylinder bed mode of operationreverse their relative positions as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The leaf 44may of course be of solid construction, but preferably it is of a hollowconstruction as illustrated in FIG. 4. For purposes which will becomeevident as this description proceeds the leaf 44 includes a through slot52 extending from the top surface 48 through the bottom surface 50. Theremainder of the leaf comprises front and rear faces 54 and 56respectively, an end face 58 which is the exterior end when the cabinetis in the storage position as shown in FIG. 1, and a pair of end faces60 and 62 defining the open end of the slot 52. The slot 52 is alsodefined by lateral walls 64 and 66 and a transverse wall 68. Thus, itshould be evident that the leaf 44 is of a substantially U-shapedconfiguration with the cut-out slightly toward the front of the cabinet.

The hinges 46 are secured by conventional means to the top 20 of thecabinet and to the bottom surface 50 of the leaf 44 so that in thestorage position of the cabinet the leaf 44 may be positioned with thesurface 50 resting on the top surface 20 of the cabinet. This is alsothe position of the leaf 44 in the flat bed position as illustrated inFIG. 2 with the sewing machine in the operating position. It should beclear that the slot 52 is of a size and shape which conformssubstantially to the top plan configuration of the bed 30 of the sewingmachine. The bed of the sewing machine, of course, presents the largestplanar area of the sewing machine with the bracket arm laying within theconfines of the bed in top plan. Thus, the bed 30 fits within the slot52 of the leaf 44 when the leaf is in the flat bed position as shown inFIG. 2 and does not interfere with the pivotable movement of the leaf 44when the leaf is pivoted into the tubular bed position shown in FIG. 3.In this position the lower surface 50 is in the same horizontal plane asthe surface 20 and a work surface extension is provided. It should beunderstood that the spacing between the top surface 48 and the bottomsurface 50 of the leaf 44 is substantially equal to the height of thebed 30 from the feet 28 to the sewing machine work support surface 40 sothat in the flat position the sewing machine work support surface 40 ison the same horizontal plane as the surface 48 of the leaf 44. The topsurface 48 thereby provides a work support extension during flat bedsewing. On the handwheel end of the cabinet there is provided a rail 70extending from the front to the rear of the cabinet and in conjunctionwith the leaf 44 encloses the entire bed except the top surface of themachine in the flat bed mode shown in FIG. 2. For aesthetic purposes theconfiguration of the front of the rail 70 and of the leaf 44 are thesame so as to provide a smooth continuous design. Similarly the rearwalls of the rail 70 and the leaf 44 are of this configuration as arethe end walls.

In order to convert the cabinet from the flatbed position of FIG. 2 tothe cylinder bed position of FIG. 3 the leaf 44 is pivoted about thehinges 46 by 180.This makes available to the operator the cylindricalbed 42 for sewing of tubular work pieces and also provides a worksurface extension through the medium of the bottom surface 50 which isnow in the upper position. F urthermore, so that the work surfaceextension is continuous, there is provided within the leaf 44 a closuremember 72. The member 72 is slidably received within a slot 74 in thewall 64 and a slot 76 in the wall 68. Within the leaf between the topsurface 48 and the bottom surface 50 there is mounted a pair of supports78 (only one of which is shown) on the walls 58 and 60 to support themember 72 as it slides within the slots 74 and 76. Thus, the member 72may be slid within the leaf 44 during the storage and flatbed positionsand may slide outwardly to close the slot 52 during the cylinder bedposition.

To provide a work surface and bed extension for the cabinet and sewingmachine in the flatbed position and to provide a finished cover for thecabinet in the installed position a leaf 80 is pivotably mounted on thetop surface of the leaf 44 by means of at least one and preferably aplurality of hinges 82. The hinges 82 are mounted such that the bottomsurface of the leaf 80 rest on the top surface 48 of the leaf 44 whenthe machine is in the installed position and is of the type which canpivot 180. The leaf 80 has a top surface 84 and a bottom surface 86which, of course, reverse their relative positions when the leaf ispivoted 180 into the flat bed position as illustrated in FIG. 2. In thisposition the surface 86 is co-extensive with the top surface 48 of theleaf 44 thereby to provide a work support extension and bed extension.When the cabinet is converted into the tubular bed mode and the leaf 44is pivoted to the horizontally extended position the leaf 80 freelyextends downwardly from the top surface 48 of the leaf 44 as illustratedin FIG. 3. Theleaf 80 may, of course, be of such length as to extendacross the entire front of the'cabinet in the stored position but asshown in this embodiment the leaf is of such a size as to extendsubstantially midway across the front and another leaf 88 compliments itduring the stored position. The leaf 88 also pivots 180 away from themachine by means of hinges 90 during both the flat bed and tubular bedposition of the cabinet.

A cabinet constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of theinvention is disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein each of the leaves 44and 80 of the first embodiment consist of a respective pair of leaves144 and 145, and 180 and 181. The leaves 144 and 145 and the leaves and181 in the storage position of the cabinet meet substantially at thecenter of the front.

The bed encasing slot 52 of the first embodiment finds its counterpartin the slots 152 and 153 respectively in the leaves 144 and 145. Thisembodiment, of course, provides a work surface extension on both sidesof the sewing machine, but in all other respects is similar to the firstembodiment.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understoodthat the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiments of theinvention which are for purposes of illustration only and not to beconstrued as a limitation of the invention. For example, the sewingmachine may be a cylinder bed machine rather than a convertible bed inwhich case the cabinet may include a flat bed insert. All suchmodifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention what is claimed hereinis:

1. A sewing machine cabinet adapted to provide single level sewing whena free arm sewing machine is mounted therein, said cabinet comprising aframe including a top surface, means defining an aperture in saidsurface, a support platform mounted on the frame in' said aperture onwhich a bed of a sewing machine is adapted to rest, at least a firstleaf having top and bottom surfaces spaced one from the other by adistance substantially equal to the height of the sewing machine bed,each of said top and bottom surfaces having a collateral slotsubstantially of the same size and shape as the bed of the sewingmachine, first hinge means mounting the first leaf to the top surface ofsaid cabinet for pivotable movement substantially 180 from a flatbedposition where the bottom surface of the first leaf rests on the topsurface of the cabinet to a tubular bed position where the bottomsurface of said leaf is substantially coextensive with said cabinetsurface, a second leaf, second hinge means mounting the second leaf tothe top surface of the first leaf for pivotable movement from theflatbed position where a first surface of the second leaf issubstantially co-extensive with the top surface of the first leaf to thetubular bed position where the second leaf extends vertically down fromthe top surface of the first leaf.

2. A cabinet as recited in claim 1 including a closure member forclosing the slot in the bottom surface of said leaf when the leaf ispivotably positioned with the bottom surface coextensive with thecabinet surface.

3. A cabinet as recited in claim 2 including means for slidably mountingthe closure member in the slot in said bottom surface.

4. A cabinet as recited in claim 1 wherein said second hinge meanscomprises means for pivoting said second leaf into superposed abuttingrelationship to the first leaf when the first leaf is in the flatbedposition whereby the first surface of said second leaf rests on the topsurface of said first leaf to define a storage position.

5. A cabinet as recited in claim 4 wherein said first leaf comprises twosections, one end of each said sections being pivotably mounted atopposite ends of said cabinet top surface and at the other end thereofabutting each other in the flatbed position, said second leaf comprisingtwo sections, each of said second leaf sections being pivotably mountedto the top surface of a respective first leaf section and at the otherends thereof abutting each other in the storage position.

1. A sewing machine cabinet adapted to provide single level sewing whena free arm sewing machine is mounted therein, said cabinet comprising aframe including a top surface, means defining an aperture in saidsurface, a support platform mounted on the frame in said aperture onwhich a bed of a sewing machine is adapted to rest, at least a firstleaf having top and bottom surfaces spaced one from the other by adistance substantially equal to the height of the sewing machine bed,each of said top and bottom surfaces having a collateral slotsubstantially of the same size and shape as the bed of the sewingmachine, first hinge means mounting the first leaf to the top surface ofsaid cabinet for pivotable movement substantially 180* from a flatbedposition where the bottom surface of the first leaf rests on the topsurface of the cabinet to a tubular bed position where the bottomsurface of said leaf is substantially coextensive with said cabinetsurface, a second leaf, second hinge means mounting the second leaf tothe top surface of the first leaf for pivotable movement from theflatbed position where a first surface of the second leaf issubstantially co-extensive with the top surface of the first leaf to thetubular bed position where the second leaf extends vertically down fromthe top surface of the first leaf.
 2. A cabinet as recited in claim 1including a closure member for closing the slot in the bottom surface ofsaid leaf when the leaf is pivotably positioned with the bottom surfacecoextensive with the cabinet surface.
 3. A cabinet as recited in claim 2including means for slidably mounting the closure member in the slot insaid bottom surface.
 4. A cabinet as recited in claim 1 wherein saidsecond hinge means comprises means for pivoting said second leaf intosuperposed abutting relationship to the first leaf when the first leafis in the flatbed position whereby the first surface of said second leafrests on the top surface of said first leaf to define a storageposition.
 5. A cabinet as recited in claim 4 wherein said first leafcomprises two sections, one end of each said sections being pivotablymounted at opposite ends of said cabinet top surface and at the otherend thereof abutting each other in the flatbed position, said secondleaf comprising two sections, each of said second leaf sections beingpivotably mounted to the top surface of a respective first leaf sectionand at the other ends thereof abutting each other in the storageposition.